Zelda, Princess and Savior of Hyrule
by Matto-hime
Summary: What if Ocarina of Time had been told from Zelda's perspective? This is my take on that idea. This is my first Fanfic, so please R&R - but be nice!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. Everything is owned by Nintendo.

Prologue:

_10-year-old Princess Zelda stood at the window of her room as she watched the King of Evil's army advance through Hyrule's defenses into the castle town; Hyrulian soldiers retreating in a panicked frenzy to prep more defenses, in a futile attempt to stop the enemy's advancement to the castle and the royal family. The town's inhabitants were fleeing for their lives, screaming in terror as their houses were burned and their loved ones slain before their eyes. _

"_Everyone, this way! Evacuate to the castle, to safety!" the captain of the royal army shouted to the citizens. The guards were ushering the surviving inhabitants out of the town – out of harm's way, however temporary it may be. _

_A tall figure with dark skin, bright orange hair, and menacing eyes rode a large, black horse into the center of the market place, blasting corpses – civilian casualties, and the bodies of fallen soldiers from both sides – aside with magic, paying no heed to the dead or the moaning of the dying strewn across the stones of the ground. He wore a wicked smile and chuckled quietly as his army made contact with the hastily set up, second defensive line of Hyrule's royal army. _

_Zelda – even from the distance of the castle window – could see how triumphant this man – no, not a man, monster – looked. It both frightened her and made her sick to her stomach. Despite her personal guards reassuring her that everything would be alright, she knew that Hyrule would fall. Even as powerful of a country Hyrule was, it could do nothing in the face of this overwhelming power._

_Zelda choked back a sob as she watched the wicked army plow through Hyrule's second line of defense, ripping the line apart. She knew they would soon reach the castle._

"_Princess! Princess!" Zelda's attendant and bodyguard Impa shouted as she burst through the door. "We must go – quickly!" She grabbed Zelda's hand and led her through the door out into the castle corridor. _

"_Where are we going?" Zelda asked, panicked. _

"_Someplace safe – don't worry," Impa replied with a forced smile, in an attempt to reassure the young Princess. "But we must hurry. We don't have much time."_

_Impa led Zelda down the hall; they scurried past and dodged around soldiers and guards running to and fro, carrying spears and arrows and shouting orders. _

"_This way, Zelda! To the stables!"_

"_Stables? But, but what about Mother and Father? Aren't they coming too?" Zelda questioned, already knowing the answer. _

"_Not now, but we'll meet them soon enough. But for now, I must get you out of here. Now come on." _

_Tears started to form at the corners of Zelda's eyes, but she forced them back. 'I will not cry. Mother, Father, the guards – and even our people – are all staying strong right now, so I must as well!' Zelda told herself as they hurried down the corridor towards the stables. _

_As they arrived at the stables, there was a loud, thunderous cracking sound. 'Oh no! They must've breached the front gate!' Zelda assumed. _

"_Zelda, we've got to go – now!" Impa said with urgency in her voice that Zelda had never heard before. Zelda just nodded her head in response and tried to look brave, though it failed and only made her appear even more uncertain and afraid. _

_Impa hoisted her up onto a white horse, then swung herself on and took hold of the reigns. "Hyaah!" she cried as she dug her heels into the horse, causing it to shoot off like a rocket. _

_Swiftly they exited out through a secret escape passage and rode away, only to discover to their horror that the entire castle was surrounded and there was nowhere to go. _

"_Over there! Grab them!" a group of soldiers wielding blood-soaked swords yelled. _

_Impa whipped the horse around and rode off in a full sprint, determined to get Princess Zelda to safety, on the honor of the Sheikah. They ran down a hill, to the market center of Castle Town, hoping desperately that they would be able to get past any remaining enemies that way. Somehow they managed to dodge around and escape past a few enemies._

_As they reached the outskirts of the town and the exit came into view, Zelda's heart sank – the draw bridge was down! 'What are we going to do now?' she worried._

_However, Impa would not be deterred or slowed down. She had prepared for this and let out a loud, piercing, distinct whistle, signaling hidden guards to emerge from a passage to open the door. She had instructed them to pass through the castle's passages to get to the controls for the bridge to prevent her and Zelda from becoming trapped in the town if they had to take this route out._

_The draw bridge slammed down to the ground and Impa made the horse go even faster. They bolted out into Hyrule field, Impa not looking back, only focusing on getting Zelda as far away from danger as possible._

_The princess clung to Impa, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, not letting go for fear of falling off. She buried her head in Impa's shirt until she saw green from the corner of her eye. 'Wha–' Zelda started to think, until the figure came into full view as they passed it. It was a young boy, who couldn't be much older than she was judging by his looks, clad in an all green tunic, brown boots, with semi-long blonde hair, and wearing a short sword and shield on his back. Their eyes met for a brief moment as they passed. Zelda turned her head back to get another look, but before she knew it, the boy in green was out of sight as she and Impa rode further and further from the castle. _

'_Who was he? He must be from the forest…' the princess thought to herself. _

_But her thoughts were interrupted when she spotted an emergence of orange and red light from inside the castle town; smoke billowed out. Hyrule Castle Town was in flames, burning to the ground. It wasn't long before only the smoke could be seen in the sky, and it made Zelda feel as though all was lost. _

'_Hyrule has fallen…' Zelda lamented. Despair overtook her and she passed out, black overtaking her vision until that was all she could see – her arms still wrapped securely around Impa's waist as they continued to ride._

Zelda awoke with a start, her hair plastered to her forehead by sweat. Her sheets had been thrown off the bed in sleep.

Zelda looked outside, only to see that it couldn't be much later than half past two in the morning. Sighing, she knew she wasn't going to be able to make it back to sleep after that nightmare, so she proceeded to light a candle and fetch a book of Hyrulian poems from her bookshelf for comfort.

"Who was that man…and who was that boy?" she muttered to herself as she flipped open the book of poems she must have read over twenty times.

Sorry if it's bad! It's my first attempt at writing a fanfiction! Please R&R. Constructive criticism appreciated.


	2. Chapter 1: Dreams

Author's Note: Italics represent a character's thoughts or dreams.

_Hyrule Castle was in flames, so much smoke billowing out that, from a distance, the castle could be mistaken for Death Mountain. There was no life to be seen; only ever burning fire. The only remnants of life from the castle were the charred corpses and bones and melted metal from shields and armor that littered the ground. _

_Then, from the raging red-orange flames, emerged the orange haired man on the large, black horse, wearing a cruel grin. He held up a small green tunic – the same tunic the forest dwelling boy had been wearing, Zelda realized – and looked right through her with a piercing, all knowing stare._

Zelda shot upright, awoken from her sleep once again by a terrifying dream.

_That's the second time this week…_

_I have a really bad feeling about all this – I must tell Father right away! _

The princess called to her servants to assist her in getting dressed. They soon entered to slip her royal dress, embroidered with the seal of the royal family, on her and to do her hair; then finally to carefully fit her royal head covering onto her.

As soon as she was completely dressed and ready to make an audience with her father, the princess hurried down the long, stone corridors of the castle to the throne room, greeting every guard and servant she encountered along the way with the utmost politeness.

"Father!" Zelda cried out as she entered the throne room. "I must tell you something – it is of the greatest importance!"

"What is it Zelda? Can't it wait? I'm very busy, you know," the king remarked, annoyance evident in his voice. This, however, did not deter the young princess.

"No it cannot, Father. Hyrule is in grave danger! You must listen!"

"Grave danger? Zelda, what did I tell you about you and your overactive imagination? Hyrule is perfectly safe. In fact, I'm currently in the process of gaining more allies, which will make us even safer than we already are."

"But Father – Hyrule is going to be invaded and conquered by a malicious man! I've been hav—"

"Zelda! Enough! What did I just tell you about your imagination? Now, go to your room – on second thought, go anywhere. Just leave me in peace before I do something I may regret. I must get back to my duties,"

"Father! Why won't you listen? I'm serious!" Zelda shouted back, unrelenting in getting his father's attention.

"Impa! Impa! Where are you?" The king yelled, not bothering to respond to his daughter.

Within a few seconds, the Sheikah appeared – "My liege?" she asked.

"Please escort the young princess out of here – to her room, the courtyard, wherever – but just get her out of here."

"Yes, my lord, right away," Impa replied. "Come on, princess," she then said gently.

"Alright…" Zelda sighed, eyeing her father with distaste as she walked away with the Sheikah attendant.

"Impa, I'm telling the truth. Hyrule is in danger. That man is going to destroy us. Don't you believe me?"

"Zelda, your father is a very busy man. Try not to bother him while he has royal business to attend to," Impa replied, skirting the original question completely.

"Of course you don't…" the princess muttered to herself dejectedly. "Impa, can I just go sit in the courtyard and have time to myself?"

"Of course, princess."

Zelda sat in the palace courtyard on the grass, gazing at the flowers and playing with the grass. Soon enough the young Hyrulian princess decided to take a nap right there on the grass, wanting to have another dream in the hopes of uncovering useful information. However, to her disappointment, the princess had a dreamless slumber and slept peacefully until awoken by her attendant, Impa, who informed her it was nearly time for dinner and she would be expected in the great dining hall promptly, lest she further anger her father.

The princess, wanting to return to her father's good side, hurried to the dining hall. She had hoped that her father would converse with her over the country's politics and foreign affairs as he usual – being a very bright girl, she was interested to learn everything she could, even enjoying learning about the complicated, dry matters of running the country – however this did not come to fruition. On the contrary, the king barely paid any heed to his daughter at all; and instead he conversed solely with his advisors and head of guard about said matters. Hurt, Zelda ate her dinner in complete silence, ignoring her mother's futile attempts at cheering her up with talk of new dresses and jewels that could be made for her if she so wished. Disappointed, Zelda returned to her room to sleep, just wanting to rest and be done with the day.

_Somewhere in the forest of Kokiri, southwest of Hyrule Castle Town, slept the young blonde boy. The young children, never aging, of Kokiri were bustling outside the boy's tree house, attending to daily duties while the boy peacefully slept the day away. _

_But deeper in the forest rested the Great Deku Tree – the guardian of the forest and its dwellers – rested. Something appeared to be horribly wrong: the Tree, normally standing strong, seemed sickly, its color now an off gray. It was talking to a small, pink fairy, which then flew off in the direction of the village in hurry. It flew to the none other than the young boy's house. It attempted to wake him; after several tries the fairy was successful. _

_The boy – Link the fairy called him – appeared in front of the Great Deku Tree a short time later, bearing a small sword and a wooden shield on his back. The Tree, after speaking some indiscernible words to the boy and the fairy, opened his mouth wide. Not long after did the boy enter the mouth, the fairy following behind. _

_Sometime later, the boy appeared outside the Tree in a white light. The Great Deku Tree then, speaking some words to the boy and giving him a green stone – the Kokiri Emerald, the spiritual stone of the forest – perished. _

End

Thanks for reading! I'll try to get the new chapters up as a quickly as I can. In the meantime, please enjoy reading and leave me reviews so I can improve.


	3. Chapter 2:  Horrifying Realization

Horrifying Realization:

Princess Zelda now realized the young boy of the forest would play a pivotal role in Hyrule's future, for the Great Deku Tree bestowed upon him the spiritual stone of the forest; the Great Deku Tree would only have done this if they boy was vital to the fate of Hyrule. _I have no choice but to depend on the fairy boy – if only I knew when he will appear to save Hyrule! _Zelda thought.

"One thing is clear though – the death of the Great Deku Tree must have been the doing of That Man. He must be seeking the three spiritual stones of Hyrule! But why would he want those? Does he desire the Master Sword? Or is he after something else….? The Triforce?" Zelda said to herself, "if he were to obtain all three pieces of the sacred Triforce – Power, Wisdom and Courage – there will be no stopping him; Hyrule would surely fall. No matter what the cost, I must stop him. But I won't be able to do it alone – but if that fairy boy were to help me…yes, then we could stop him, I'm sure! I just need to devise a plan for when he reveals himself."

Zelda's thoughts were interrupted by a loud rapping at her chamber's doors. "Princess!" shouted a young female servant, "Princess, your father wishes to see you right away. There is a special guest he wants to introduce you to. He's important, so you best no keep him waiting, young Princess!"

"Please tell my father I will arrive in a few minutes, and apologize to the guest for my delay, will you," Zelda replied.

"Of course, princess" she heard the servant say before she departed to relay the message, evident by the receding sound of her footsteps in the stone corridor.

Not wanting to keep her father's guest waiting, she hurried to straighten out her royal dress and correctly align her cap on her head. Then, she checked her appearance in her wall mirror; nodding to herself in satisfaction with her appearance, she exited the room, hurrying down the long corridor to the throne room.

"Must she keep us waiting any longer? I swear that daughter of mine. I'm awfully sorry – I apologize for my daughter's irresponsibility. Zelda has always been sort of a free spirit, if you will. Not the most obedient of children," the king remarked to his quest.

"Oh it is quite alright, your majesty. I don't mind in the slightest. Though I am eager to meet the young princess," the guest chuckled.

Within a few moments, the princess stepped into the throne room. Seeing her father, she walked quickly towards him. "Father, you wished to see me?" she questioned.

"Oh yes. There is someone I would like you to meet. He is an important political ally for Hyrule – he will be staying here for a short time while we discuss matters of our countries' defenses."

"Hello, princess," the man said coolly, stepping out into the Zelda's view.

Realization hit her instantly and her blood ran cold. _It's him! That man! _

Next to her father, the king, stood a large man with bright orange hair and cruel grin – the very same man that had plagued Zelda's dreams.

"My name is Ganondorf. How do you do, princess? It's a pleasure to finally meet you," he said, flashing a creepy grin.

Zelda was frozen in place, her heart beating wildly.

_What should I do? I must let Father know, but I mustn't allow Ganondorf to discover I'm suspicious of him. Best to be as polite as possible and speak to my father later in private when I have the chance_.

"I've been very well, sir," Zelda curtseyed, "It is a great pleasure to meet you. Please do right by Hyrule." She tried to pull off a friendly smile, but it came off as nervous instead.

"Oh of course, princess. That is why I'm here. I have just sworn my allegiance to your father, on the honor of the goddesses." His eerie grin returning.

Averting her eyes slightly, "may the goddesses grant peace and fortune to both our lands."

"Thank you kindly, princess," Ganondorf sneered.

"Zelda, I believe this has been a satisfactory introduction. You may go. Ganondorf and I have more business to discuss," her father said, speaking for the first time.

Later that night…

"Father, may I speak with you? I have something important to discuss. It can't wait," the young princess said, poking her head into her father's chambers.

"Yes, what is it?" the king replied, more friendly than she has seen him in a long while.

"It's about that man – Ganondorf. You mustn't trust him. He –"

"Zelda – I'm in a good mood from today's progress on the Gerudo-Hyrule alliance, do try not to spoil it. What have I told you about your imagination?"

Zelda inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to keep calm. "He will destroy Hyrule; I have seen it in my dreams!"

Her father sighed, shaking his head. "This isn't amusing, Zelda. We're done on this issue; do not bring it up again. You have been warned. This alliance is very important to our people. Having the people of the desert as allies will greatly increase our strength, which will keep our enemies at bay. As smart as you are, you are still only a child, so it's no wonder you don't understand. Now isn't it about time for you to get some rest? It is late, after all."

"Sorry, father…" the princess remarked as she exited the room to return to her chambers.

As soon as she entered her room and shut the door behind her, the discouragement hit her hard. _Father will not listen, no matter what I say. The only thing I can do now is keep an eye on Ganondorf…_

Unable to sleep, Zelda decided to learn as much as she could about the Gerudo. She sneaked out of bed to the library. However, she was not able to slip past all of the guards.

"Princess? What are you doing out of your room at this time of night?" he guard questioned.

Determined to reach the library, Zelda quickly devised a story. "I can't sleep so my father said I could grab a book from the library. I've read all the ones in my room too many times."

"At least allow me to escort you to the library, princess. I don't want you to get lost or hurt."

Reluctantly she agreed, knowing it was her best chance at successfully making it to the library.

"Please be quick, princess. You should be sleeping at this time; it is very late."

"I will," Zelda replied as she entered the library. She immediately searched for any books having to do with the Gerudo. After a few minutes, she stumbled upon a few scripts detailing the people, culture, and politics of the Gerudo. Satisfied with her findings, Zelda emerged from the castle library and allowed the guard to escort her back to her chambers. Thanking the guard and wishing him a good night, Zelda entered her chambers and began to pour over the first book: _A History of Gerudo Valley through the Centuries_.

End

So now that Ganondorf has made his first appearance, the story should get moving in the right direction! Link will be making an appearance soon, for real this time!

As always, please leave a review!

Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 3: A Meeting In the Courtyard

Sorry for taking so long to update! I've been a little busy and put off writing for a little too long. Anyway, at least it's up now! Enjoy!

The princess had been keeping a close watch over Ganondorf's movements while he was at the castle for the past week. However, she had been unable to gain any new information or ascertain when Ganondorf was planning to make his move; he was abiding by every law of Hyrule and obeying the king completely, when he was out in the open at least. Zelda had no doubt that Ganondorf began plotting against her father the second he was out of sight and had a moment's reprieve from the watch of the guard.

It was about mid-day, the sun high up in the sky; the heat would have been oppressive if not for a gentle, cool breeze that made the weather beautiful. Zelda heard word that her father would meet with Ganondorf in throne room to discuss more matters, instead of using the castle's military conference room as they had for the past week. _If they're going to be in throne room, I can observe from the window in the courtyard! _

Excited that would be able to watch the meeting this time, Zelda hurried to the courtyard. When she was stopped by the guards on the way in, she merely replied that she wished to play in courtyard because it was such a nice day. Unaware of the princess' true intentions – she was a little girl after all – the guards granted her access, saying, "Of course. Have fun, princess! If you need us, you need just call." After politely thanking the guards, Zelda arrived in the courtyard and approached the window. However, Ganondorf was nowhere to be seen. _The meeting must not have started yet, _she thought.

As Zelda leaned in to see check again, she heard movement behind her. When she turned around, she came face to face with a young boy, clad in a green tunic with a fairy flying around his head.

"Who? Who are you? How did you get past the guards?" she exclaimed, "oh? What's that? Is that…a fairy? Then are you…are you from the forest? Then…then…you wouldn't happen to have…the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, would you? That green and shining stone…" clasping her hands together as she spoke. "Do you have it?"

The simply nodded in response.

"Just as I thought!" the princess exclaimed, letting out a laugh. "I had a dream. In the dream, Hyrule was under siege by an evil man. The castle was conquered, and many of the good people of Hyrule slain…there was much blood shed. As I fled the castle with my attendant Impa, I saw a young boy from the forest with a fairy – that must be you! Then I dreamed of the boy – you, I mean – receiving the Spiritual Stone of the Forest from the dying Great Deku Tree! I knew then that a boy from the forest with a fairy would play a pivotal role in Hyrule's fate!" Realizing that she was babbling on, "Oh, I'm sorry! I got carried away with my story and didn't even properly introduce myself! I am Zelda, princess of Hyrule. What is your name?"

"My name is Link," the boy responded, saying nothing more.

"Link…strange…it sounds somehow familiar. Okay, Link! I'm going to tell you the secret of the Sacred Realm that had been passed down by the Royal Family of Hyrule. Please keep this a secret from everyone, okay? Do you promise?"

"Don't worry, I promise not to tell anyone," Link quickly replied, leaning in, showing his interest.

"The legend goes like this…The three goddesses hid the Triforce containing the power of the gods somewhere in Hyrule. The power to grant the wish of the one who holds the Triforce in his hands. If someone with a righteous heart makes a wish, it will lead Hyrule to a golden age of prosperity…If someone with an evil mind has his wish granted, the world will be consumed by evil…that is what has been told. So, the ancient ones built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce from evil ones. That's right…the Temple of Time is the entrance through which you can enter the Sacred Realm from our world. But the entrance is sealed by a stone wall called The Door of Time. And in order to open the door, it is said you must collect three Spiritual Stones. You also need the treasure the royal family keeps along with this legend. Did you understand the story I just told you?"

"I get it!" Link shouted excitedly.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I was spying through this window just now. That man in there – the one with the orange hair and evil eyes – is the one from my dreams, the one who will destroy Hyrule!" Zelda said, pointing to Ganondorf who had, by now, arrived for the meeting with the king. "Will you take a look?"

Without a response, Link walked up to the window and peered in. As he did so, Ganondorf turned and made eye contact, grinning at the boy. Alarmed, Link pulled back involuntarily.

"What's wrong, Link? Did he see you?" the princess questioned. "No matter – he doesn't know what we're planning…yet!" Pausing for a moment, "I told my father about my dream, but he didn't believe it was a prophecy. He refuses to believe what I tell him about Ganondorf. But I know his evil intentions! He must be after the Triforce of the Sacred Realm; he must have come here to obtain it! And he wants to conquer Hyrule, no, the entire world! Link…now we are the only ones who can protect Hyrule! Will you help me save my kingdom, help me save the world?" Zelda pleaded.

Link nodded, "I'll do everything I can to stop him, princess! What do we have to do, though?"

"Thank you, Link! I won't be able to do this without you! We must not let Ganondorf get the Triforce! I shall protect the Ocarina of Time with all my power. He shall not have it!"

"Right! But what must I do?" Link inquired, eager to help in any way he is able.

"You go find the other two Spiritual Stones! Let's get the Triforce before Ganondorf does and defeat him! Oh, wait a second. I will write you a letter; it should help you on your journey reach areas you wouldn't normally be allowed to access," Zelda said, neatly writing on a piece of parchment. "Take it. I'm sure it will be helpful to you."

"Thank you, princess. I –"

"Please, Link, call me Zelda," she cut him off, smiling.

"Zelda…I will do my best to save Hyrule!"

"I know you will, Link. And for that, I am most glad. Together we will be able to stop Ganondorf from conquering Hyrule and ruling the world. My attendant over there, Impa, will escort you out of the castle, past all of the guards. I will also have her instruct you on how to play my lullaby. It is an ancient melody passed down by the Royal Family and should prove useful in your travels. Goodbye, Link. May the goddesses watch over you!"

Zelda watched as Link walked across the castle's courtyard to Impa, who upon his arrival, began conversing with him. Zelda was unable to hear what they were saying at this distance, but was at peace, trusting Link and Impa entirely. Thinking about it, Zelda had been surprised when Impa had changed her tune and told her that she believed her about Ganondorf. She did not know why, but she was overjoyed nonetheless.

Impa taught the boy how to play the melody by whistling through her fingers. In response, Link withdrew a beige ocarina from his tunic and proceeded to try to imitate it. He was unsuccessful the first two times, until Impa showed him once again. After Impa's second demonstration, Link was able to perfectly play the tune, much to the delight of both Impa and the princess, who watched from afar. Immediately upon Link's completion of the song, Impa escorted him out, knowing precisely what areas of the castle they would be able to traverse without being seen.

"So, it has finally begun…I won't let you do what you please. On my life, as the princess of Hyrule, I will never let you take this kingdom, Ganondorf…" the young princess spoke to herself. Then, turning, she approached the window and once again peered through to observe the meeting at hand. _Link…I hope you can handle this…no, I know you can do it. I believe in you. Please believe in me as well. _

End

If you noticed, a lot of the dialogue I took from the game. I found it easier to do it than to make it all up on my own. It also fit better. However I did alter some of it, adding to and changing some parts to better fit what I have already written and plan to write, for the sake of better continuity. I hope you don't mind. The story is getting more exciting know that the journey to defeat Ganondorf has begun, and what Zelda's efforts are will be shown.

As always, thanks for reading! If it's not too much trouble, please leave a review as well. I'll try to update more quickly next chapter. Thanks again!


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